Between Us
by Stessa
Summary: Series 3. Lobsterstory. Kinda my own universe. Rachel never found out about Ross and Chloe, but one night will change that. Add in a little Mark, and what will happen? A oneshot.


_Hi, I'm back :D A couple of things you need to know before you read this story is that this is right after Ross and Rachel's break. Ross did sleep with Chloe, but Rachel never found out. Ross cleared the trays, but don't worry, it's a totally Lobster-story. But kinda different from what you're used to get from me, okay? I got this idea today watching a short movie, and drove fast home to write it, so here.. ,yeah …_

_**Disclaimer; **I don't own Friends. But I do own this story :P And I don't own the short movie; "Mellem os" which this story is loosely based on. _

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Between Us

_That mouth. _

_It's beautiful. _

_I could kiss it all night. _

_Everyday and all night. _

_I'm gonna miss it. _

_If everything goes well tonight, I'm not even sure if our relationship will ever be the same._

_If there'll be a relationship at all. _

_God, I hope there will be. _

_If not, I'm never gonna be the same person._

_He makes me a better person than I used to be. _

_That's why I don't know if all this is a good idea, but I'm gonna do it. _

_Too late to back off now. _

_It just has to go right. _

"Rach?" Ross asked, snapping her out of it, out of her own universe with her own diary, "When does Mark and date get here?"

"Well…" Rachel looked at her watch, "They were supposed to be here 20 minutes ago. Why do you ask me? Can you still not find your watch?"

"No, it's irritating. But anyway, it doesn't seem like him to be late." Ross observed.

"No." Rachel pouted, getting lost in his face.

It couldn't be true… could it?

There was a knock on the door, and Rachel rushed out to open it, while Ross stood in his kitchen.

Feeling weird.

Rachel opened the door and fell into Mark's arms as soon as he opened them.

She politely shook his date's hand, who by the way was looking slightly uncomfortable.

Another clue, which told Rachel that she, sadly of course, was right.

"I'm Rachel." she smiled.

"Chloe."

Rachel nodded, smiling at her.

Ross came out to greet the guests, but he froze in the doorway.

"Dinosaur guy!" Chloe greeted.

"Hi, eh, Chloe." Ross said.

"Well, come on in then." Rachel smiled, dragging Mark behind her.

--

Ross stood with a hand on the open door.

Was Mark dating Chloe?

One thing was sure, he didn't like this at all…

He got his act together and went into the living room, where he found the other three seated around the square table.

He sighed and sat down on the side that was free.

Rachel had placed the food on the table and the conversation begun.

"So, Ross. Long time since I've seen you in the copy-place?" Chloe said.

"Yeah, uh..." Ross sighed, "I haven't really needed anything done."

"Really?" Chloe exclaimed, "You used to come down every other day!"

"Uh, no I didn't." Ross nervously replied.

_Ugh, look at him. _

_He's so nervous. _

_He's always been that around pretty girls, maybe it's just me? _

_But look at her, she's just sitting there… acting all angelic. _

_I bet she's not like that at all. _

_Look at them. They're so in to something. But I don't know what. It cant be true, or what? Why would you believe that anyway? It was Mark who said it, but the…_

"Rach?"

Rachel snapped out of it and turned her head to look at Ross.

"Rachel, were where you?" he asked.

She insecurely smiled.

"She was probably back in her own world again." Mark concluded.

"And what do you know about that, huh?" Ross asked.

"I used to work with her." Mark said, "Usually, when she did that, she was off in fashion world on her own."

"Were you Rach?" Ross asked.

"Were I what?" Rachel sweetly smiled.

"Were you in fashion world?"

"Fashion what?" Rachel said.

"Nooo..." Mark said, turning to Chloe, "Will you look at them? They're flirting again!"

"No." Rachel pouted, turning around. She stood up and went into the kitchen. She bend down to catch their eyes, "I've made ice cream for dessert." she told them.

"You have, Rach?" Ross exclaimed.

"Yes." Rachel said, taking the plates, she'd already arranged, out of the fridge, "Monica have thought me for so long, I figured I'd try it out."

"It looks good." Mark secretly smiled, when she placed the plates on the table and gave them each one.

"Hmm-mm." Rachel said, then she sighed, "But actually, Mark and Chloe, there is a reason why I asked you here tonight. And Ross too, it's important."

"Oh," Ross said, "What's that?"

Rachel took a deep breath and looked at Ross, "Are you and Chloe having an affair?"

His world stopped.

Chloe looked stunned, but then she burst out laughing, "No! Rachel, why did you get that idea?"

Mark was looking with big eyes at the other three.

_Are you and Chloe having an affair?_

"Just because I was curious." Rachel said, stern.

"It seems to me like you are writing yourself a script there." Chloe said.

"Are you in your own world again, Rach?" Ross asked.

Rachel turned her head to look at him, but shook it.

"Of course we're not having an affair." Ross started…

And then he begun on the long story, denying and accusing.

Rachel just nodded.

_If you say so, honey, I'll believe you. Of course you aren't having an affair. You love me. You would never do that. What we have is perfect, nothing would make you ruin that. You aren't that kind of guy, you've been in love with me forever. You would never hurt me. You love me… right?_

_Right?_

--

"Oh God, look at the time!" Chloe smiled, looking at her watch, "I promised to call my mom tonight. We have to leave now, before it gets too late."

"But we're in the middle of the dessert." Rachel said.

"Yeah, but we have to go." Chloe said.

"I'll wrap the rest up for you." Ross said, starting to get up.

"No." Mark said, "We'll finish the dessert here. Chloe's mom can wait."

"No, I promised-"

"Sit down, Chloe." Mark said.

Ross and Chloe sat back down and took their spoons to finish the dessert.

But beforehand, Ross had to say something, "If this is still about your imagining Chloe and I having an affair, Rach, forget it. I love you."

"Hmm-mm." Rachel nodded, taking a bite of her ice cream.

"Yeah, and also..." Chloe said, "Before accusing people for that kind of stuff, you need to have proof. This is too silly."

"Okay" Rachel said, "But Ross, you are having an affair, aren't you?"

"Rach, will you stop? What'll make you think that?"

"Okay…" Rachel said, "I got the afternoon off a couple of weeks ago, and decided to go visit you at your office…"

**_A couple of weeks ago…_**

_Rachel walked into the reception to find someone who could tell her where Ross was._

_"Hi." Rachel smiled, "I'm looking for Ross Geller. Is he in his office?"_

_"No, he has a dinner appointment at the Plaza. He's meeting a professor there. You can wait in his office, miss." the clerk told her._

"And I decided to sit in your office and wait." Rachel smiled, "I love your office. I would just wait for you… But when I was bored, I found something on your e-mail."

"You looked through my mails?" Ross snapped.

But Rachel just smiled and continued…

_Rachel decided to go and delete all her mails to Ross, so she logged in, but when she found the page, she saw he had a lot of mails from another woman._

_**Copy-Chloehotmail. com **_

_She decided to take a peek at the newest mail and clicked on it. The mail popped open, and it was short, but she got the point:_

_Dinner at the Plaza at 12? I'm agreeing, we have to discuss it. Mark knows now, and he's close with Rachel. Be there. _

_Rachel turned off the laptop and hurried out the door._

"We were just eating dinner." Ross said, "And when she said it was a professor, it was because… They wont pay for it unless, and it was actually work. About some copy's."

"Ahh, I see," Rachel said, "But actually… I was just looking at you guys and… You know… Anything didn't happen _there._"

"What do you mean, there?" Chloe asked, "Nothing has ever happened!"

"You remember the night of our break, Ross?" Rachel suddenly asked.

"Yes, vividly." Ross said, "As a night I'll never forget because I was so close loosing you."

Rachel coughed, "All right. Well, I remember it too. When you called me, Mark was there. But after that, I send him home, because I was hoping you would come to me. After that… Mark went to a bar… Will you please tell us the rest, Mark?"

"Yes, I would love to, Rachel." Mark said, and begun…

_Mark slipped into the bar, feeling so low._

_He liked Rachel so much, couldn't she see that? Didn't she realize that he was madly in love with her?_

_He wanted her._

_But she had Ross…_

_Mark went up to the bar to get a beer, when he saw something which shocked him to his very core._

_It was Ross!_

_Kissing the hot copy girl Chloe!_

_Mark bend down and hid behind a couple which were dancing to U2's "With or Without You"._

_He knew what was gonna happen._

_But what was he gonna do?_

"And you know what he saw then?" Rachel asked, "He saw you two sneaking off together."

"And you believe him?" Ross asked, disgusted, "I can't believe you'd actually accuse me for this. You have no proof!"

"Okay Ross." Rachel said, "Eat your ice cream!"

Ross, who was afraid of making Rachel even more mad, digged his spoon into the ice, but it hit something.

He lifted his spoon up and on it, hung his watch. He looked at it, shocked.

"She took it." Rachel explained, "That night after you slept together. She took it from you, Mark found it in her apartment. He knew it was yours, 'cause your name is written in it. _From Rachel to my love, Ross._"

Ross and Chloe looked at each other.

Then Ross turned to Rachel with tears in his eyes, and whispered. "Yes, it's true."

Rachel looked at him, feeling so empty. So betrayed. She pushed her chair back and ran out of the apartment.

Ross got up to follow her, but Mark was faster.

He followed her down the stairs, and caught her in the middle of the street.

The rain was purring down.

"Rachel!" he yelled.

She turned around, tears streaming down her face.

But he couldn't see that.

He looked at her, "This wasn't in the plan."

"I can't believe it." Rachel sobbed, "He's cheating on me. I love him so much."

"I know, Rach. I know." Mark said, hugging her, "But look – this wasn't in the plan. I have a plan. Come back with me. I know we should have discussed it more, but…"

"I'm not interested in breaking up with him anyway." Rachel said, "I just didn't think – I just… Urgh, I'm pregnant, Mark."

"Pregnant?"

"Yes, I'm not gonna be a single mother! But because of your brilliant idea, I now know the truth. Couldn't you just have kept this to yourself, what you saw? Of course after knowing that, I had to know if it was true!"

"Rach," Mark said, "You can't back out now, okay? We'll make it a tie. They can't get away with this. I have an idea. Come with me."

He took her hand and they went inside.

--

When they came into the apartment, Ross and Chloe were sitting at the table like nothing had happened. You couldn't tell – unless by their eyes.

"I can't believe you, Ross." Rachel whispered, "After a whole year, I just…"

"I thought I've lost you." Ross whispered, looking up, "I thought I've…" he sighed, "You were slipping away from me."

"That's no excuse." Rachel said.

"But," Mark said, "If the two of you will just wait here, Rachel and I'll just go in there and…" he pointed at the bedroom and took a few steps towards it.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked.

"We're gonna have sex." Mark said, taking Rachel's hand.

Ross immediately stood up and went to protest, but Rachel cut him off;

"Ross!" she yelled, pushing him back in his chair, "If you want to have any chance to get me back, you'll sit there and wait. Okay? Sit down!"

Ross sat back and looked hurt.

Mark took Rachel's hand and they went into the bedroom together.

Rachel nervously sat on the bed and looked at Mark.

He smiled.

"What now?" she whispered.

"Well, we're gonna have sex." Mark said.

"No." Rachel said, "My idea was that we'd make them think we are."

"Rachel…" Mark trailed off.

"Wait here." Rachel said.

She stood up and took off her blouse, she was only in a bra then. She also took of her shoes and pantyhose. She then slipped her hands through her hair a couple of times until it was a bit messy. She turned off the light and opened the door to the living room where Ross and Chloe were sitting, stunned. She walked right past them and into the kitchen where she opened a cabinet and took out a bottle of wine. She grabbed it and walked right back into the bedroom.

When she came in, she sat down next to him again.

"Picking a wine will help us do what?" Mark asked.

"They'll think we're having a romantic night." Rachel said, then she turned around and messed around with the sheets. She turned back and smiled at him, "Now we'll just have to wait. And maybe later make some sounds."

Mark looked down and his eyes caught her tanned thigh underneath her skirt. He gently slipped his hand up there.

Rachel lay her hand on his and pushed it down, "No."

Mark looked at her and shook his head, "What are you so afraid of, Rach?"

Rachel just looked at him, "I don't know." she said.

With those words, Mark drew his mouth closer to hers, and caught her in a kiss.

A kiss that would make a tie.

--

When Rachel slowly crept out of the bedroom, Ross stood up faster then he'd imagined possible.

Mark was right behind her, and he just walked out of the bedroom and went straight for the front door.

"Mark!" Chloe yelled, running after him.

A silence overtook the apartment.

Ross looked at Rachel and finally said; "So, now it's a tie?"

"Yeah, now we have a fair relationship." Rachel just said, walking back into the bedroom.

Ross followed her, "Fair? You take this as fair?" he yelled.

"Yes!" Rachel yelled, turning around to look at him, "But remember it wasn't me who cheated in the first place!"

"No, but that was your fault!" Ross yelled.

"How was that my fault?" Rachel asked.

"You and your stupid work!" Ross screamed, kicking her back which was standing at the floor. Papers and files flying everywhere.

"My works is important!" Rachel said.

"And so what?" Ross asked, looking at the messy bed, "Did you what, just fuck him in here?"

"Yeah, well, that's something you should be familiar with. Remember, just a month ago, it was Chloe who had been there instead of me. Now it's Mark, instead of you!" she went into the living room again.

"Rach, come on!" Ross yelled, "It's your fault! Why would you sleep with him?"

"You're blaming this on me?" Rachel asked, "You're the one having an affair!"

"It was one time, one night, Rach!" Ross yelled, "And again; it was your own fault!"

"Well then, if you think so," Rachel said, "Then, I'm done!"

"What?"

"I'm outta here." she said, walking towards the door and storming out of it.

Ross ran after her, but stopped in the doorway, "No Rach! Wait! I cant live without you! I love you!..."

But Rachel was already on the street.

--

The rain was still purring down, and Rachel was walking down the street at Ross' block.

"Rachel?"

Rachel turned around to come face to face with Mark.

"Oh…"

"You sound disappointed?"

"I just thought you were somebody else."

"Wow." Mark mused, "Slight feeling of déjà vu."

"It happens to be the same somebody else." Rachel revealed.

"I think we need to talk about this…" Mark begun.

"No." Rachel said, "I don't think there's anything to talk about."

"But Rachel, we…"

"Definitely not now, Mark." Rachel argued, walking away.

"Well…" Mark yelled after her, "Will I see you at that conference this Wednesday?"

"I think there'll go a lot more Wednesdays till you'll see me again!" Rachel shot back.

And indeed, there would go.

--

Ross was silently washing the dishes in the sink while he cried.

He went to take some more plates from the table, when his eyes caught the watch covered in melted ice cream.

He sighed and went back to the sink.

A couple of more minutes, he stood like that, but then he heard the front door go.

He patiently waited for the person who'd came in, to reveal itself.

A couple more seconds went by, and Rachel came into sight.

He sighed happily.

Rachel placed a chair on it's right place by the table and took the last glasses from it.

She then went into the kitchen and stood next to Ross.

They didn't say anything.

Ross cleaned the glasses in the water and Rachel dried them.

When Rachel reached to take the last glass from Ross their fingers touched, and they caught each others gaze.

It was like a simple gesture, a symbol.

The glass was like the wall, which was now keeping them apart.

Destroying their love.

But in time, the wall, the glass, would break, and they would eventually make a future.

They were close to that wall, both had their hands – their hearts – on it.

They could reach each other, through a transparent wall of glass.

Their hearts trying to survive this hell.

_

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Okay, it didn't get as good as I wanted it to, but I decided to post it anyway, and you can leave a review. And I know Ross and Rachel were a little out of character. In Rachel's case actually a lot, but I see her as kinda spaced out, you know? She's in her own world, kinda "cursed" by the thought of Ross cheating on her. And Ross, he was – as always – trying to deny everything and get out of it. Well, tell me your opinion. Constructive criticism will be welcomed. And if there's any grammar or spelling mistakes, please don't judge me. I'm kinda tired right now, and our internet haven't been working for a couple of days, and now it does, so I'll take the chance and post this before it goes down again, I didn't have time to re-read it. I hope it's okay. Thanks, Stefania. _


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